Kenya – men arrested with ivory in Samburu county

Two Suspects Arrested With Ivory

Police in Maralal town Samburu County are holding two men who were in possession of eight elephant tusks with a street value of Sh4.6 million.

The suspects were arrested on Thursday night by Kenya wildlife service (KWS) officers at Rongai area near Suguta Marmar area in Samburu Central Sub County.

Speaking to KNA, Samburu county senior warden Richard Lemarkat said the duo were arrested by officers who were on patrol at night when they inspected a suspicious vehicle and recovered the tusks with a total weight of 23 kilogrammes.

Lemarkat said investigations had been launched into the matter to establish where the tusks were from and where they were being transported to.

“Our rangers from the operation teams arrested two people as they were found in possession of eight pieces of elephant tusks all of them weighing 23kgs and they have already been booked at Maralal police station together with the vehicle they were using to transport the tusks,” he said.

He said the suspects would be arraigned in court where they will face charges by end of Friday.

The senior warden said KWS had intensified patrols after an elephant was killed two weeks ago by irate residents at Suguta Marmar area after it destroyed crops.

He challenged communities to be vigilant against poachers in the county by reporting suspicious vehicles and people who are not well known in the area to relevant government authorities.

“People are driven into trading ivory illegally because a kilogramme in the black market goes for Sh200, 000. I therefore urge residents living near wildlife areas to report any suspicious activities,” he added.

He however, noted that the ivories were not from a fresh kill saying they might be from past poaching activities.